What If?
by Transformersfan123
Summary: Sequel to Simon. "I wish that Simon Petrikov had never put on the ice crown!" Princess Bubblegum slammed the coin to the ground, as that was the way it worked, and there was a pop as it disappeared. It had accepted the wish. However, PB doesn't know just how important Simon is, not only to her, but to the entire land of Ooo. She's about to find out.
1. The Coin

Here is the sequel to Simon. :) PB is a little...peeved at who she still perceives as the Ice King...

* * *

Simon was fighting back tears. The tears were for so many things. Anger. Humiliation. Shame. Hurt. Sadness. He wasn't _that person_ anymore, but everybody was treating him like he was. At the moment, he was standing in the main hall in the building where the meeting of Ooo's Royalty was being held. And it was very clear that, despite his elite status as the only king in the land, he was _not_ invited.

Betty was staring icily at Princess Bubblegum. She had started the whole mess by proclaiming loudly that the Ice King wasn't good enough to be a part of Royal business. The others had agreed and were now adding choice comments of their own making.

Simon finally could take it no longer. He opened the pouch in his side and took something out. The room immediately went eerily silent. He held his closed fist out to the pink princess. She frowned and put out her hand. A gleaming silver coin was dropped into her hand.

"A wishing coin?" she asked.

"Yes. I have a lot of them. Happy birthday, Bonnibel."

She frowned at it then smiled cruelly. She knew enough of the story that it would be perfectly safe. "I already know what I'll wish for."

"Wish it then and get it over with," Simon said coolly.

"I wish that Simon Petrikov had never put on the ice crown!"

Princess Bubblegum slammed the coin to the ground, as that was the way it worked, and there was a _pop_ as it disappeared. It had accepted the wish. Simon turned to Betty.

"I love you, dear. This is going to hurt a little."

"What is?" Betty asked fearfully.

Suddenly, dust flew off of their skin. Betty screamed, and that was the last noise she made. Simon went quietly, his green eyes boring into the princess.

"You will not like it, Bonnibel," he promised as he turned skeletal.

"Simon!" Marceline screeched as she, Finn, and Jake slammed into the room. The two humans were nothing but dust. Not even their clothes remained. Just Simon's dark blue glasses. Princess Bubblegum seemed pleased.

"Well, that's that."

Finn suddenly shouted as blood exploded from his chest. He fell to his knees, Jake calling for his brother. He was dead in ten seconds, and his body rotted away to nothing before them. Now Princess Bubblegum wasn't so pleased. She stared in horror at where the human boy had been.

"What's happening?!"

"You did it, didn't you?!" Marceline sobbed. "You wished him away! You don't know how crucial he is! To me, to you, to _everyone!"_

There was a cry, and Hot Dog Princess burst into flames. She, too, was gone in mere moments. One by one, the sweet princess watched as the Royalty began to all die in different, yet agonizing, ways. Male, female, whatever they were made of, it didn't matter. One by one, they went screaming out of existence. Soon the only three left were Marceline, Princess Bubblegum, and Jake.

Marceline grabbed the glasses and dead coin then stood tall as an icy wind howled in a thunderous tone, and the building fell away to reveal a desolate, wintry wasteland. Jagged ice peaks and miles upon miles of untouched snow were the only things to be seen besides the three living beings.

"What did you wish for? Quickly, tell me!" Marceline roared.

"I wished that he had never put on the ice crown! I take it back!"

"You'd have to find another wish coin to take it back. That coin was good for only one wish." Marceline shoved the items into her arms. "Change it back, Bonnibel! Quickly! If you die, then you will never exist! Nobody you know will! _Ooo itself_ won't exist! Simon is the only one who can do something about it!"

The world was speeding backwards now, and Marceline shivered in the cold. Her face stared to lose its years, and her vampire marks disappeared. She began to shrink, her clothes changing. Then she was a little girl. She watched her old friend for a few moments before her clothes were torn from her body. Blood started oozing down the inside of her thighs then _bang!_ A hole appeared in her forehead. She rotted away faster than the others had. Still the world around the remaining two beings moved until there was an enormous _BOOM,_ a blindinglight, and the ground rippled beneath them. They gasped for breath, doubling over before collapsing to all fours. They both felt weak, lightheaded. They needed air. No, they needed purchase on reality.

"Hey, lady, can I pet your dog?"


	2. Humans

Here's chapter two. A little bit of a twist!

* * *

Princess Bubblegum jolted, sitting back on her heels. There was a boy who looked about six. He was staring at Jake, who was staring back in horror. They were both stunned beyond belief.

"Jacob! Stop it! Leave the poor woman alone!" a woman barked, grabbing the boy's hand. She threw an apology over her shoulder, a disdainful look with it.

"PB?" Jake asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Yes, Jake?"

"Was that…a _human_?"

"No. That was _two_ humans."

They looked around to find themselves in a winter park. There were more than two. In fact, there had to be two or three hundred of them around. The two residents of Ooo found themselves at the receiving end of stares.

"You had better walk on all fours," the pink girl whispered. "Let's go. Now."

Jake obeyed, staying right by the princess' side and growling ominously at anybody who stared. Which was everybody. The Royal girl gasped suddenly, running forward.

"Simon!"

The man turned, catching her as she ran full tilt into his arms. Simon was flabbergasted, but his arms closed around her. He stroked her gently as she cried. Then another familiar voice spoke, and Jake nearly stood up in relief.

"Simon? Do you know this young lady?"

"Betty!" Princess Bubblegum gasped, leaping into her arms. Her joy was short-lived as Simon answered his love's question.

"I…I don't recall ever meeting her before…"

"What? I…Oh, I don't understand!" Princess Bubblegum moaned.

"Neither do I, PB," Jake muttered.

Interest exploded on the man's face, and he knelt down to look over Jake. He and Betty exchanged smiles.

"How would you and your dog like to come for tea at our place?"

Princess Bubblegum glanced at Jake then nodded. They were soon in a warm, cozy home, which made both of them realize how cold it was outside.

"Sugar?" Betty asked.

"One please."

"Would you like tea, doggie?" Betty asked/

"Hey! Nobody gets to call me 'doggie'! Not even Finn!" Jake barked, standing up and glaring at them.

"Finn?"

"He's a boy from the…future," Princess Bubblegum said.

"Future?" Simon asked, grinning at his wife. "My dear, what is your name?"

"Bubblegum. Princess Bubblegum."

"Oh…That won't do here in this time. Do you have another name?"

She looked strained as she said, "Bonnibel."

"Oh…odd, but not unacceptable," Betty praised.

"I hate my first name. Only Marceline and Flame Princess call me Bonnibel," she growled.

"I'm sorry, dear, but Bubblegum will only get you teased and taunted," Simon said. "You already will have a difficult time with your pink complexion and hair. And we must get you some proper clothes. Pink is much too…colored for our society."

"Only if I must."

"Hey," Jake growled.

"Jake?"

"They're not staring at us. They're not teasing us. They're treating us as if we're _normal_. I bet he has the crown. We just have to ask him to put it on."

Bonnibel brightened. "You might be right. He would do something like that, wouldn't he? Simon, we need you to put on the ice crown."

"Ice crown? What's that?"

They scrutinized him. He was sincerely confused. Bonnibel frowned. "A crown about this big. Made of pure gold with giant red rubies set in the front."

"Oh! You mean the Magwood Crown!" Simon laughed.

"You _do_ have it! You must put it on! It is urgent."

Simon suddenly looked uncomfortable. "I…I'm afraid that isn't possible, Bonnibel dear."

"Why not? You know what it is! You've got to have it!" Jake exclaimed.

"I _did_ have it." There was a cry of delight. "But I sold it twenty minutes ago." Dead. Silence.

"You have to get it back!" Bonnibel exclaimed.

"Why?"

"Because you have to become the Ice King!"

"Why?"

"Because…because…I don't know!" She began to cry again, and Betty embraced her, shushing her.

Simon watched this, looking guilty. Jake approached. "Hey, dude, why did you sell it?"

"I…I'm not sure. I was teasing Betty with it. I was going to pretend to be a king, but…I can't remember why, but I put it back before I did. I wanted to get rid of it as fast as possible. So, after weeks of searching for the right person, I sold it to a pawnshop. Got over ten thousand dollars for it. We didn't need the money, but…I felt that it had to be sold. I don't know why though."

Bonnibel sobbed. "Because I wished that you had never put it on!"

"Why would you do that?"

"Because then you would become the Ice King! I _hate_ the Ice King! Always kidnapping princesses, interrupting parties, being insanely clueless about dating and kissing, and, and _everything!"_

Simon frowned. "Why would you want me to become such a horrible person?"

"I don't know!"

Simon decided that questions would only exacerbate the situation, so he went over and picked up a guitar. He began to play a soft song, singing the words in a low tone as Jake went over to help calm the poor girl down. She finally calmed, sitting still through another song before sighing.

"I don't know why I would want you to become him. All I know is that when I made the wish, the whole world unraveled. Everybody died. First you and Betty, then Finn, then the Royalty, then Marceline. I don't understand. I need to. I need it to make sense."

Simon returned the guitar to its place then took his seat again. "Explain to me what happened. Exactly as it happened."

So she did, telling of the cruel deaths of everybody.

"Before Marcy died," Jake cut in before she mentioned the _BOOM!_ "The entire climate of Ooo changed. It became…nothing. There was ice and snow, but nothing else. Except for us."

Simon pursed his lips, leaning back and placing his hands together. He sat there, thinking for a while. He finally nodded as Betty brought in dinner.

"Thank you dear. And thank you, Lord, for this food, and the company of these wonderful strangers."

The prayer was over so quick that the Ooovians didn't even know what to do. So they ate. They then relaxed, Simon sipping some wine.

"How old are you?" he asked Bonnibel.

"Eight hundred twenty-seven."

"I meant physical age, dear."

"Oh…I don't know?"

"Hm. We'll call you nineteen. Safe age. As for the pink? Dye job on the hair, which is frowned upon, but it's possible, and mild Cushing's Syndrome for the pink-hued skin."

"I…Thank you, but I still don't understand why you not putting on the crown did all that."

"I was getting to it, dear. But it is such a strange subject that I had to gather my thoughts for a while." He paused, taking a sip of wine then setting his glass on the side table before he sat up straight. "Now, we'll call the other me the Ice King. Agreeable?"

"Yes," they chorused.

"Good. Now, if this me had never existed, and the consequences were as severe as you said, then what do you think that means?"

"It means…you're…I mean that you are…Or he is…" Bonnibel struggled to find the words.

"It means that he's important, PB," Jake said.

"Simply put, but accurate," Simon praised.

"But why should all those things happen if he doesn't exist?" Bonnibel asked, sounding desperate for answers.

"What about the ice and snow?" Jake asked. "Explain that first."

"He is the Ice King, therefore he creates, controls, and maintains ice and snow. He must hold back the weather in Ooo most of the year. Without him doing so, the land would freeze."

"I didn't know he did that," Bonnibel murmured.

"Did you ever ask him?"

"No," she admitted. She paused. "But what about the others."

"To your knowledge, has he saved Finn?"

"Yeah, from Hunson Abadeer."

"Would he have killed him?"

"I believe so."

"Then that explains him."

"It does?" Jake asked.

"Yes. Without the Ice King, Finn would have died. Therefore, he wouldn't have existed at the time that you made the wish. I believe the same is true of the others. He must have saved them. All of them, in some way or another."

"Except for me and Jake?"

"Not necessarily," Simon said softly. "Have you looked at yourselves?"

They paused and glanced down.

"Oh, Glob!" Jake moaned.

"No," Bonnibel whimpered.

They were fading away.

"You have to put on the ice crown, Simon!" Bonnibel said pleadingly, standing up.

"That might not fix things," Simon replied.

"Of course it will!"

"I would go into it with a different knowledge than he had. That might change the future substantially. The only thing to do is to make another wish."

"I don't want to make another wish! I want to do a takeback!"

"Is that possible?"

"Yeah," Jake said. "But first we'd have to find a wish coin."

"What does a wish coin look like?" Simon asked.

Bonnibel pulled the items Marceline had pushed into her arms from her pocket. Simon gasped at the glasses.

"Oh my word!"

"Simon!" Betty murmured, sucking in sharply; she had been silent the whole time, listening to her fiancé's explanation of things and reveling in the strangeness of the day.

"I can't believe it!" Simon whispered.

"You didn't believe me, did you?" Bonnibel asked, sounding hurt.

"I didn't say that," the man said, gingerly taking the glasses. "But seeing these just solidified it more. Do you know how hard it is to make these? I make them myself. They're a one of a kind pair of glasses. And these were made by me, but they look very old." Simon took a deep breath and handed them back. "Now, wish coin. What does it look like?"

Bonnibel held out the coin. "This one is dead though. They're silver when they have one wish, and gold when they have two. The wishes regenerate over time, from one year to five depending on the coin."

Simon nodded, taking the coin and carefully looking it over. "Pardon me," he finally said, and he stood and ran out the door. Bonnibel and Jake were shocked.

"He has a plan, dear, now how about pie?"

"What flavor?" Jake asked eagerly.

"Cherry. I also have cheesecake. Both homemade."

They took a slice of each. An hour later, they were very pale and had started to tremble, when Simon suddenly shot inside. He was flushed and shivering from the cold, but he hurried over and placed a wish coin onto the table.

"Is this one?"

Bonnibel picked it up in her shaking hand and sighed in relief. "Yes. This is. And it has two wishes."

"Good. Now, be careful what you wish for."

"Good advice. Too late," Jake snickered.

"No, I'm serious. If there is a way to takeback the wish without stating another wish, do it. If even one little thing changes about the way I become the Ice King, you might not exist, or you might, but in a different way. Be very, very, _very,_ careful."

"But…if I do that, then this you won't exist," Bonnibel said.

"So be it," Simon said with a sharp nod. Betty came to stand beside him, and Jake nuzzled his legs. The man laughed sadly. "I always wanted a dog, but my parents were _violently_ against it."

"Violently?" Jake asked then there was a loud wail from outside.

"Shit!" Simon barked.

"Those bastards actually did it!" Betty gasped.

"Who? Did what?" Bonnibel asked.

"Dropped the nukes!" they both shouted.

"Nukes?" Jake asked.

"Quickly! Take it back! Take it back now!" Simon urged.

"Why are you so nice to me? You don't know me in this world," Bonnibel said, staring at him hard.

Simon paused. "I want to be as little like my parents as possible. You look so odd that I knew you to be telling the truth, or you were playing a character for a play or a novel you were writing. Just because you were acting different doesn't mean you deserve to be thrown out with the crazies and refuse."

"Do you think the other Simon is the same?"

"You only wished for me to not put on the ice crown, dear. You didn't change my past in any way besides that. My human life is the same as his, besides that one moment. Now, take it back before you don't exist anymore for a different reason!"

There was a sharp whistle that grew louder, and Bonnibel met his eyes.

"I takeback my last wish and wish for an explanation to why the Ice King is so important in Ooo!"

She slammed the coin down just as there was a _BOOM!_ A blindingly white light came toward them, but it didn't reach them. It froze just outside the window. Simon breathed a sigh of relief.

"Goodbye, you two. We'll see you in another life."


	3. Untold Importance

Sorry for the long update wait. I don't feel well and haven't been on fanfiction at all. Here's another chapter.

* * *

Suddenly the world was going backwards again. They saw Simon with the crown, and he was laughing with his fiancée. And, to their utter relief he put the crown on his head. He began to scream and fight things they couldn't see, and Betty ran out the door just after he'd come out of it. His life passed by them quickly, and the saw him becoming more and more like the Ice King in both physical appearance and attitude.

"Hey! We're back to normal," Jake said happily, looking over the princess.

"Yes," Bonnibel said. "Now hush."

The world had slowed down, and there was a scream as child Marceline was cornered by a group of mutant men. They looked like they wanted what they shouldn't have from such a young girl. One reached toward her, but ice suddenly covered his hand. They spun around to see Simon hovering above the ground, the ice crown on his head.

"You get away from that girl, heathens!" he barked, firing more ice at them. He was missing on purpose, the watching Ooovians noticed.

The mutants ran away as fast as they could. Simon took off his crown, hanging it at his hip. He turned to look hesitantly at the girl, who was clearly frightened. He got down on one knee.

"Where are your parents?"

"Mama didn't get up after the big boom, and Daddy is too busy for me."

"Good gracious," he muttered. He pulled his backpack off and got out a can. "Are you hungry?"

She was there in an instant, and she ate everything she could. She then began to cry hard, and Simon held her close. She finally sniffled and pulled back.

"I'm Marceline."

"Marceline? Oh, now that won't do." The child was confused, so Simon winked and smiled. "Such a big name for such a little girl. Let's call you Marcy instead."

"Okay," she said smiling. "What's _your_ name?"

"My name is Simon, my dear."

"Simon? Like Simon Says?"

"Yeah. Like Simon Says."

"What does Simon say to do now?"

"I say we find a place to rest for the night where those mutants can't get to us. Let's go."

A child's voice startled them. "That makes me cry every time I think about it. Seeing it is even rougher."

"Marceline!" Jake exclaimed, turning with Bonnibel to face her.

She grew up before their eyes and soon was her usual self. She shivered.

"Boy, not existing feels funny."

Bonnibel embraced her, sobbing in relief.

"So what did you wish for? This isn't just a takeback."

The pink girl pulled back, looking at the icy world that was now swirling around them.

"I got two. I took back the first one and wished to see why Simon is so important."

"Good choice."

Everything slowed again, and they saw Bonnibel and Marceline. "And it's always so cold. Can't things warm up?" the princess asked bitterly.

"I can see what Simon can do about it. It could be his doing."

"Simon is dead, Marcy," the pink girl snarled. "You keep talking as if he's still alive. That freak is the Ice King, and he'll never be Simon again."

Marceline looked hurt, but flew off. Things sped up for a short while, and slowed when they reached the Ice King's cave.

"Simon?"

"Marceline!" the Ice King gasped, hurrying over. "Did you come to play some jams?"

"Not today, Simon. I have a request."

"Okay." He waited eagerly.

"I need you to hold back the ice and snow and cold for at least nine months of the year. That way we can have regular seasons again."

"What? But I thought you liked the cold." The Ice King was clearly hurt.

"I do. But summer's nice, too."

"Bah, summer's too hot."

Marceline floated over, grabbing his face. "Simon. Please."

The white eyes stared at her for a minute then green edged into them. "Anything for my little Marcy."

They walked out to the balcony and Simon, for they could tell it was still Simon, inhaled deeply then clapped his hands. The wind stopped blowing, the snow stopped falling, and the snow began to visibly recede way out on the horizon. It pulled back, back, back until Marceline touched him. He paused.

"You can keep your little Ice Kingdom cold, Simon. I know you prefer the cold."

"I used to love summer, Marcy. I did. But now I prefer the cold, heartless winter. Because it matches me so well."

"Simon! No!"

The man looked at her, and his eyes were white again. "Do you want to play some jams, Marceline?"

"I…Yeah, Simon, I do. Give me a minute. Why don't you go get the stuff ready?"

She gazed at the edge of the snow, but it didn't start creeping over the land again, so she turned and shook her head then went to go play with her friend.

"It hurt so much to see him not remember everything important, _anything_ important!" Marceline moaned as time began flying again.

"He wasn't Simon anymore," Jake said. "So how did he keep the winter back?"

"Simon did have control over his other half. It was limited, but if it was important enough, he could control it. He told me that controlling the seasons is so ingrained into him that he does it without thinking about it now. But back then…there came a point where I couldn't call him Simon anymore. It was one of the hardest days of my life."

"I'm sorry, Marcy," Bonnibel whispered. "I was a real jerk. I didn't understand. We need to talk more."

"Sounds good to me, Bonnibel. Here come the others."

One by one, the others were all saved from impending doom by the Ice King, and the pink girl noticed that what he saved them from was what had killed them. They were in the building and Hot Dog Princess had just reappeared. Finn appeared, his chest sealing up. Simon and Betty reformed in a storm of dust. Then…everything stopped.

"Didn't like it, did you?" Simon asked dryly.

"No. I didn't," Bonnibel replied, looking down.

"Well, come on, dear. Let's leave them to their meeting," the man said, turning to walk away with his wife.

"No!"

Everybody looked at the pink princess in surprise, including the king and his queen. She swallowed.

"If anybody deserves to be here in the meeting, it's you Simon. You are the oldest Royal in the land. Come, let us discuss business. Then tonight you and I can discuss things."

"Only if Finn, Jake, and Marceline can join us, too."

"Of course."

"Very well. Finn, Jake, you go run off some energy. Be back here by dusk. Come along, Marcy dear. Let us go into this impromptu meeting and see what needs to be done."

Everybody filed in, but Simon paused before he followed.

"I told you I'd see you in another life," he said, winking at Bonnibel.

She gasped in shock, but couldn't ask as he hurried in and took his seat. _That clever little bastard,_ she thought, closing the door behind her.


	4. Questions

Sorry this took so long. I'm going through some stuff. This is the last chapter. A sweet moment between friends. Enjoy. :)

* * *

Simon was sipping wine. _It's a good year,_ he thought happily. He had finished dressing and retired to the dining room, having taken a shower to wash the dust from his skin. Betty was in there now. She was going to be just as pink as Bonnibel when she came out. He didn't blame her. Not existing was a harrowing experience. He had ceased to exist once before, and it had jacked him up so badly that Ice King had gone crazy. That was a feat in and of itself.

"Simon?"

Simon took another sip, glancing at Bonnibel. "Yes, dear?"

"Dinner is almost ready."

"Good, good. Betty should be done scourging herself soon."

"Scourging? I thought she was bathing."

"She is, but right now she needs to feel her nerves again. When you cease to exist, you have no feeling in any part of your body. You don't _have_ a body. You are the epitome of nothing. It is so impossible to imagine that you can't fathom it. Not unless you cease to exist, too. Even then, once you come back, it is hard to remember it. Betty and I won't have a problem with that, but the others, I believe you'll find, can't recall the sensation."

"Why will you two be able to remember it?"

"The power of our crowns. It helps us remember Forgetfuls and things like that. This is no exception. That is how I knew it would hurt a bit. I remembered it. Most of the Royalty will not. Finn might, but he's different than Royalty. He's such a special boy."

"He is. He is indeed," Bonnibel said fondly.

"Hey, Peebles," Finn called, looking freshly washed. His hat was in his hands, and his golden hair was short.

"Did you cut your hair again, Finn?"

"Nah. It caught on fire a couple months ago, and it's just now growing back. Got a couple of nice burns out of the deal, so I'm not complaining."

"Hm, true blonde hair like that isn't very common amongst humans," Betty said, coming in; her skin looked rubbed raw. "At least where we lived. My red hair was shocking, too."

"Eh, I like it well enough. But I love my hat more," Finn replied.

"Hey, let's eat. I'm starved," Marceline said, floating in and taking the seat beside Simon; Betty sat on his other side.

Marceline was handed a plate of rosy red apples and strawberries, which she sniffed happily. The others were given a plate of steak and macaroni. As the others picked up their forks, Simon glanced mischievously at his wife.

"Thank you, Lord, for this food, and the company of these wonderful strangers," he said loudly then began to eat. Finn stared curiously, Marceline shrugged it off, but Bonnibel and Jake leaped up.

"You _do_ remember it!" the former screeched.

"No. I simply know about it, dear. I am not the me from that timeline. I am the Ice King that you referred to me as."

"Then how do you know?" Jake asked.

"Crown," Betty said with a sharp nod.

Simon nodded, too. "Yep. The crown. It senses that there is a 'what if?' factor. The timeline that you created existed up until the takeback. If you had waited a second longer, the nuke would have taken you out and you wouldn't exist for an entirely different reason."

"What exactly is a nuke?" Bonnibel asked.

"You know those little things that are all over Ooo? Those cylinders with fins and a point?" Marceline asked.

"Yes."

"It is a ginormous version of that, and it does a million times the damage. It explodes on contact and lets out a massive wave of radiation. About fifty were dropped in about the same spot, give or take a few hundred miles, and created that crater you see on the planet when you pull it up on the hologram screen. The nukes hit every country and blew everybody back to the stone ages. You know, the ones that actually survived. Most didn't. And those that did were irradiated like nobody's business. You and the rest of Ooo are the end result of that."

"Oh. What about you and Simon? You're both old enough to have survived through the Mushroom War," Jake said, gnawing on the steak bone.

"Yes, Jake, we are," Simon said, leaning his elbow on the table. "I survived because of the magic of the crown, and Marcy survived because of her father, who then abandoned her in the wreckage of the world."

"It was so hard to survive, wasn't it Simon?" Marceline whispered.

"Yes. It was. And the rest of those here should be grateful that they didn't have to."

"What was the explosion like?" Bonnibel asked.

"I wasn't there for the explosion," the vampire replied. "I just heard it."

Everybody was staring at Simon. "I encased myself in ice, but I could still feel. The ground quaked in pain then the light blinded me. When the crown said it was safe, I exited the ice only to see a land of brokenness. There was nothing left whole and standing. The impact point was beyond what is now Iceberg Lake. Then I saw…him."

"Him?" Betty asked. "There wasn't a him the last time you talked about this."

"Finn's faced him," Simon muttered. "I helped then hurt. Bubblegum was possessed by him. He's still around, after a thousand years, he's still here. He was trapped for a while, but then freed. Hidden away, ready to strike, contained, yes, but defeated, no. Causes death, trouble, pain…"

The man continued to mutter, hands twitching, face blank. Everybody watched him for two minutes then Finn cleared his throat.

"He's talking about the Lich."

Simon stopped muttering, looking up with dull eyes. "If it wasn't for the crown, I would be dead. Many times over. He didn't want Ooo to form. I stopped him, the _Ice King_ stopped him many, many times He never remembered, Daemon wouldn't let him remember, but _I_ remember. I was protected, not by Daemon, though he may boast of that, but by the Magwood jewels."

The poor human shuddered. "Let's not talk about this anymore. Bonnibel wanted to talk about something. What was it dear."

"Eat," the princess said firmly.

Simon cleaned his plate then downed the rest of the wine, swallowing it convulsively. "Now, what would you like to discuss?"

"You said violently."

Simon frowned, but Betty swallowed; she knew where this was headed.

"What are you talking about, dear?"

"Let's go to the sitting room, shall we?" Betty said, her voice too pleasant.

They were there much too soon for her tastes. Simon glanced at his wife, who shook her head.

"Bonnibel?" he asked, turning to face her.

"I…well…You said you always wanted a dog."

"So?"

"Then you said that your parents refused. _Violently_ ," Jake said with a nod. "What does that mean?"

"Oh. That's why you were shaking you head," Simon sighed.

"I didn't want to…You were so upset whenever I wanted to talk about it that…I'm sorry. Would you like to leave?" Betty stammered.

"No." She was clearly floored. "Dear, the last time I talked to you about it…that was a thousand years ago. I have had much time to reflect on this. I cannot promise I won't get emotional, but I think I can handle it better." He turned to the waiting Ooovians. "My parents were abusive. _Very_ abusive. They would beat me at the slightest wrong-doing, or what they perceived to be a wrong-doing. I was often left bleeding on the floor, sore and confused. I got more stitches than anybody else I knew, grown or not. That is what I meant by violently."

Marceline snorted. "Yeah, I feel you there. Mom was a saint, and Dad…well, finish it in your own head."

"I…I don't understand. Why would they do that?" Finn looked disturbed.

"I don't know. I really don't," Simon said with a shrug, wiping his eyes. "And at this point in my life, I don't care. I have reflected upon it for a thousand years. It doesn't matter _why_ they did it. All that matters is that they did. They were terrible parents most of the time, and I am glad to be done with them."

They nodded. "Thank you for sharing, Simon," Bonnibel murmured.

"You are most welcome. Now, when will we be meeting?"

"Um…what?"

"Oh come now. You visited _my_ world, and don't have questions about it?"

"I-I'm allowed to ask questions?"

"Certainly! I also have textbooks on every subject imaginable from before the war. We can peruse those at leisure as well. Now, I would like to go to bed with my wife. Come along…Crystal."

Betty looked gleeful, racing after him. Marceline smiled. "I'm glad they're happy."

"Simon waited a long time for it," Jake said sadly.

"Yeah, but he's pretty cool because of it," Finn said.

"Yeah," Bonnibel said. "He is, isn't he?"


End file.
